The present invention relates to a device and method to aid in hanging objects, such as pictures or mirrors. More specifically, the invention relates to a device and method for holding a picture or mirror to be hung in the appropriate place on a wall and marking positions on the wall for a hook, nail, screw, etc. for hanging the picture or mirror in the desired location.
In the past devices and methods have been provided for aiding in the alignment and hanging of pictures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,135 to Hindall discloses a picture hanger locating device for marking a desired location on a wall for a picture. The device disclosed in the Hindall patent supports a picture and includes an alignment gauge to align a positioning arm with a vertical or horizontal line on a wall. An integral marker is provided to mark the desired location for the hook. The Hindall patent does not provide a method for hanging larger and/or heavier pictures requiring more than one hook to hold the picture on the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,574 to Levy shows a measuring tool for hanging pictures including a box-shaped housing attached to a mechanism for ascertaining whether the housing is in horizontal and vertical alignment with respect to a wall. The tool disclosed in the Levy patent includes a level instrument, such as a bubble level, to help with the alignment process. A tape measure is built into the housing for marking linear measurements. The Levy tool, however does not include hangers from which a picture can be hung to locate a desired position for the picture on the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,213 to Kelly et al. discloses a picture hanger aid and alignment device. The device disclosed in the Kelly et al. patent can be used to position pictures on a wall for hanging and for scribing locations on the wall where appropriate hooks should be placed. The Kelly et al. device is useful in that it can be used for pictures requiring one or two hooks. However, while the device disclosed in the Kelly et al. reference is generally useful for hanging pictures in the desired location on a wall, the Kelly et al. device is deficient in several desired qualities.
In particular, the Kelly et al. device does not provide a method or apparatus for the positioning of the picture and marking of the wall in a single step. Furthermore, the Kelly et al. device does not allow for the creation of pilot holes on the wall instead of pencil or pen marks for the location of the hooks. The Kelly et al. device does not provide an apparatus or method for the making of virtual crosshairs on a wall to pinpoint the exact location where a hook should be placed. The Kelly et al. device does not disclose a method or apparatus for marking the location for a picture to be hung underneath an already hanging picture. The Kelly et al. device does not provide a large, easy-to-hold handle for the positioning of the picture hanging device which has integral storage within the handle for the holding of picture hanging accessories such as hooks, nails, wires, etc. Finally, the device disclosed in the Kelly et al. patent is not made of only two pieces that are relatively easy to manufacture, that can be held together in tight, secure engagement (with or without an auxiliary fastener) and which may be easily disassembled when only a single piece is needed for picture hanging purposes or for storage of the picture alignment and hanging device.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a picture alignment and hanging device which incorporates some of the advantages of prior art picture hanging devices and improves upon the noted deficiencies of those devices.